One of the most important components of this course was William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. (Notice I said, “One of the most important components...,” not “I think one of the most important components....”) I did not agree 100% will all of his suggestions, but most of his ideas were logical.
Like Strunk & White, Zinsser advises us to trash any superfluous words. (Is “superfluous” too complex for this piece, Mr. Zinsser?) For the most part, this is good advice. Already in this piece, I’ve resisted the urge to write, “I think that,” and used “were” instead of “seemed to be.” Zinsser recommends “clean” writing without frills or jargon. Each word must have a purpose and value. Important words should stay, useless words should go.
He also recommends we take the time to write a good lead. Whether it be one sentence or one paragraph, we need to capture our audiences’ attention.
The section about the school administrators relearning how to write struck me the most. Here are people who are teaching our kids to write, yet they cannot craft a simple letter to their students’ parents. By creating friendly pieces with easy vocabulary, administrators and businesspeople can reach their intended audience. In addition, personalizing the piece (using the dreaded “I”) can make a reader feel as though the text was written for him and not by some emotionless robot.
Finally, I appreciated Zinsser’s advice to write for ourselves, and not for anyone else. If we like our pieces, someone else may like them, too. If we try to please everyone or hijack a style that is not our own, we will lose our voice.
There were some parts of the book that failed to capture my attention. For example, the entire section on boring writing was extremely boring. Zinsser told us not to lose our readers, yet his writing was so dull that I skimmed through several pages.
In the section about memoirs, Zinsser talked about his article on a childhood toy. Although his audience may not have had direct experience with that particular toy, Zinsser said his readers could still relate to the story of having a favorite childhood toy. This made the piece relevant to all readers. However, earlier in the book he wrote about baseball. In fact, there was an entire chapter on sports. I could not relate to this chapter at all, and often skimmed the parts about baseball. Zinsser, you’re not holding my attention!
Overall, the book is a worthwhile read, and I will surely keep it on hand.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
(Rewrite) Playing Devil's Advocate: On Stray Cats
The Assignment: Play the Devil’s advocate in your chosen niche. Find a provocative stance or an unexpected thesis by writing about and exploring a contentious or confusing issue and then make your argument. Try picking an argument you normally feel strongly about and take the other side.
--
You hear them at night: feral and stray cats calling to their mates or brawling in the alley ways. They are a huge nuisance in the United States, especially in cities. Wherever there is a steady food source, the cats will survive: near homes, near restaurants, and anywhere with a population of rodents or birds.
Cats procreate rapidly, quickly infesting the neighborhood. They carry germs, parasites, and diseases which can be passed on to humans. Unfortunately, they are a danger to public health, so responsible persons should act quickly to eradicate the problem.
With a steady food supply, cats multiply quickly. The gestational period for a feline is two months, and she usually has three to six kittens in each litter. A female cat can become pregnant immediately after giving birth. She will often have several litters per year.
Her kittens become sexually mature at five to six months of age. Then they procreate. The cycle continues. Before long, there are hundreds of inbred cats infesting the neighborhood.
Aside from the noise, these cats—who are essentially wild animals due to lack of human socialization—carry disease. They are magnets for fleas and mites, and can spread parasites, such as giardia, to humans.
Although many groups advocate trap, neuter, and release programs, these programs do not remove the problem. It is true that a population of neutered cats will not grow as rapidly as an intact population, but they still infest the same areas. They are still a major problem for the residents and businesspersons who must share their space with these cats.
For this reason, it sometimes becomes necessary to humanely euthanize an entire population of cats. Once the colony has been eradicated, it’s important to remove all food sources. If residents and businesses continue to leave unsecured dumpsters or provide seed to local birds, another stray colony will move in to the same location.
Once the cats and food sources are removed from a particular area, it is unlikely that a new colony will move in.
|eleven|
Kip and I are ADOPTED! I know this because a nice man came in, petted us for a long time, and then said, “How would you boys like to be adopted?”
It all started as a typical Saturday. We made a mess of our food and water bowls, played for a bit, and then fell asleep in the window. A group of school children came in midday and hung out with us. Most of them were nice, but one pulled Kip’s tail! When we tired of them, we retreated on to the highest window ledge and gazed down at them. I tried to give the mean boy a hard stare while flicking my tail just to show him how upset I was about the tail pulling.
When they left, I snoozed for awhile and Kip gave himself a bath.
In the later afternoon, a gentleman entered the room. He grabbed on of my favorite toys. I just cannot resist that catnip mouse on a string. I know it’s not real, but it looks so real and tastes so good! Kip and I had great fun chasing it around the room.
After playing for a short while, the man sat down. Kip and I turned on our feline charm. We hung around him and he scratched behind our ears. He left to talk to one of the staff members and then came back into our room. He told us about his house: he has one dog and one human; someone he calls “Wife.” Finally, he told us that we were being adopted. I wasn’t sure what this meant, but I knew it was a good thing.
Tonight we are in his house. This time, I’m not in a bathroom. Kip and I are in a giant room with a big fluffy bed. We ate dinner shortly after arriving, and now we are running around the room. It’s huge! Wife is nice. I like her already. She said we would meet the dog next week, after we’ve “settled in.” I’m nervous about that, but I’ve met more nice dogs than mean, so I’m sure Kip and I can put this one in his place.
I’m excited for my new life here. Being adopted feels great. I wonder if they have a faucet somewhere...
It all started as a typical Saturday. We made a mess of our food and water bowls, played for a bit, and then fell asleep in the window. A group of school children came in midday and hung out with us. Most of them were nice, but one pulled Kip’s tail! When we tired of them, we retreated on to the highest window ledge and gazed down at them. I tried to give the mean boy a hard stare while flicking my tail just to show him how upset I was about the tail pulling.
When they left, I snoozed for awhile and Kip gave himself a bath.
In the later afternoon, a gentleman entered the room. He grabbed on of my favorite toys. I just cannot resist that catnip mouse on a string. I know it’s not real, but it looks so real and tastes so good! Kip and I had great fun chasing it around the room.
After playing for a short while, the man sat down. Kip and I turned on our feline charm. We hung around him and he scratched behind our ears. He left to talk to one of the staff members and then came back into our room. He told us about his house: he has one dog and one human; someone he calls “Wife.” Finally, he told us that we were being adopted. I wasn’t sure what this meant, but I knew it was a good thing.
Tonight we are in his house. This time, I’m not in a bathroom. Kip and I are in a giant room with a big fluffy bed. We ate dinner shortly after arriving, and now we are running around the room. It’s huge! Wife is nice. I like her already. She said we would meet the dog next week, after we’ve “settled in.” I’m nervous about that, but I’ve met more nice dogs than mean, so I’m sure Kip and I can put this one in his place.
I’m excited for my new life here. Being adopted feels great. I wonder if they have a faucet somewhere...
Thursday, March 8, 2012
My Classmates’ Projects In Review
My Classmates’ Projects In Review
Brunel’s Ghost
I have to admit, I had a hard time understanding what this character was about at first. This is what I gather: Isambard Kingdom Brunel was an engineer in the 1800s. This blog seeks to promote history by creating a “ghost” voice for Brunel, and proposes to integrate Brunel’s life into the modern day by creating an interactive tour where participants can visit a variety of places linked to Brunel’s legacy. Is that right?
I suppose, if this were a “real” project, the creator would have to get permission from the estate to use Brunel’s likeness. I’m not sure, though.
What I like about this project is that it promotes a specific historical figure. Re-enactments and the like are right up my alley. Making history “come alive,” for students as well as the general public, is a worthy endeavor.
Dvosara Ten
The concept of Dvosara was very difficult for me to grasp, mostly (I think) due to the writing style. I had a hard time understanding the posts, and my inability to decipher the language made me feel unintelligent. However, I persisted with reading each post and eventually got some idea of the character.
From what I understand, Dvosara is a character somewhere out there in space. She has found a way to contact earth’s internet, but she doesn’t know for sure that the information is current or if earth even exists. Still, she continues to communicate just in case it does exist. I think we (the readers) are supposed to become thoughtful and introspective after reading her posts. We are supposed to look at ourselves in a new light. I’m not 100% sure this is the intention, but that’s how perceived the writings.
Other Comments:
Uptown She: I loved your voice and appreciated your ability to use humor to grab my attention.
Bumpnoggin: Your pitch video was excellent.
ComTechSolider: I liked your critique of a social media campaign. You took a popular television show and analyzed its ability to communicate with its audience. Nice job.
Passion For Paws: Love your topic!
Brunel’s Ghost
I have to admit, I had a hard time understanding what this character was about at first. This is what I gather: Isambard Kingdom Brunel was an engineer in the 1800s. This blog seeks to promote history by creating a “ghost” voice for Brunel, and proposes to integrate Brunel’s life into the modern day by creating an interactive tour where participants can visit a variety of places linked to Brunel’s legacy. Is that right?
I suppose, if this were a “real” project, the creator would have to get permission from the estate to use Brunel’s likeness. I’m not sure, though.
What I like about this project is that it promotes a specific historical figure. Re-enactments and the like are right up my alley. Making history “come alive,” for students as well as the general public, is a worthy endeavor.
Dvosara Ten
The concept of Dvosara was very difficult for me to grasp, mostly (I think) due to the writing style. I had a hard time understanding the posts, and my inability to decipher the language made me feel unintelligent. However, I persisted with reading each post and eventually got some idea of the character.
From what I understand, Dvosara is a character somewhere out there in space. She has found a way to contact earth’s internet, but she doesn’t know for sure that the information is current or if earth even exists. Still, she continues to communicate just in case it does exist. I think we (the readers) are supposed to become thoughtful and introspective after reading her posts. We are supposed to look at ourselves in a new light. I’m not 100% sure this is the intention, but that’s how perceived the writings.
Other Comments:
Uptown She: I loved your voice and appreciated your ability to use humor to grab my attention.
Bumpnoggin: Your pitch video was excellent.
ComTechSolider: I liked your critique of a social media campaign. You took a popular television show and analyzed its ability to communicate with its audience. Nice job.
Passion For Paws: Love your topic!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
|ten|
I can breathe now. I’m starting to feel better. I’ve been moved yet again. Once more I’ve found myself in a small room, but this time I have a playmate and regular visitors.
My playmate’s name is Kip. I was wary of him at first, but he enthusiastically introduced himself and we’ve become fast friends. Kip also has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Like me, he lived out on the streets. Unlike me, he was never scooped up by a nice lady with a dripping faucet. Instead, he found himself stuck in a trap. After getting caught, he was brought directly here.
Kip and I are having great fun. Every morning, we tip over our dishes. When the staff come in, they say, “Oh, boys, what have you done?!” Then they pet us and give us breakfast and fresh water. It’s my new favorite game.
I feel happy again for the first time in ages. There are giant windows in this room. In the morning, if I sit in the corner of the windowsill, I can easily soak up an hour of sun. It feels wonderful, and I can’t help but purrrrrrrr.
In the afternoon we have visitors. It’s hit or miss. Sometimes we have wonderful old ladies who coo to us with their deep, aged voices. Their laps are small and boney, but their touch is magical. Other times we have obnoxious children who pull our ears. Kip and I both retreat to the high window sills when they visit!
Everyone seems to like us. They tell us, “You’ll be adopted soon.” I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds lovely.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Social Media Campaigns: The Ag-Gag Petition
Pick a current social media campaign and critique it with an eye on your goals. Look at how the growing conversation is affecting our world. Then discuss your social media ideas for your online presence. Will you concentrate on Twitter or YouTube and why?
This year Iowa Republican John Mathis sponsored HB187, legislation which will outlaw undercover video in food production facilities. Animal rights and animal welfare activists are up in arms because undercover video is often the only way to collect evidence in criminal animal and human abuse cases. Unfortunately, despite the use of social media to campaign against the bill, Iowa governor Terry Brandstad signed the bill last Tuesday after it passed the House and Senate.
Below are some examples of how concerned citizens utilized the internet to protest against HB187, also known as the "Ag-gag' bill.
Twitter
Many groups and individuals used Twitter to pass information using the hashtags #AgGag and #StopAgGag. Those tweeting about the bill include:
- Farm Sanctuary, a well-known animal welfare organization with farm animal sanctuaries in New York and California
News organizations also aired video regarding the bill, such as this one from CNN.
Facebook also played a role in the debate as organizations discussed the debate and "events" and "groups" cropped up to campaign against the bill.
While I think blogs, Facebook, and Twitter are useful for spreading information, videos are pivotal. Because videos can be embedded in to web pages and shared on networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, they are more versatile than any other social media tool.
The visual impact of a video is also greater than a page of words. One cannot miss the message in Mercy For Animal's video about the Ag-Gag bill, and it's hard to think a compassionate person could watch that video and vote for the bill.
Because videos are so useful within the constantly changing world of social media, I would certainly spend a good deal of time creating videos if I were running a social media campaign.
The horrible thing about the Ag-Gag campaign is that it failed. All these fancy social media devices did not succeed in convincing enough people to vote against the bill. Getting the message out in non-internet venues is important, and I do not think that happened to the extent it needed to crush the bill. Billboards, bus banners, and television ads capture eyes. Any type of campaign needs to use social media in addition to more traditional media outlets, at least for now.
This year Iowa Republican John Mathis sponsored HB187, legislation which will outlaw undercover video in food production facilities. Animal rights and animal welfare activists are up in arms because undercover video is often the only way to collect evidence in criminal animal and human abuse cases. Unfortunately, despite the use of social media to campaign against the bill, Iowa governor Terry Brandstad signed the bill last Tuesday after it passed the House and Senate.
Below are some examples of how concerned citizens utilized the internet to protest against HB187, also known as the "Ag-gag' bill.
Many groups and individuals used Twitter to pass information using the hashtags #AgGag and #StopAgGag. Those tweeting about the bill include:
- Farm Sanctuary, a well-known animal welfare organization with farm animal sanctuaries in New York and California
- Writer, blogger, and public personality Ari Soloman
- ABC News
- An animal rights group called Mercy For Animals
- An animals rights group called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Blogs
Activists also used blogs to spread information. Below are some images from the Mercy For Animals, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and PETA blogs.
News
News websites such as ABC, the Huffington Post, and the Associated Press also carried coverage of the bill.
News websites such as ABC, the Huffington Post, and the Associated Press also carried coverage of the bill.
News organizations also aired video regarding the bill, such as this one from CNN.
Facebook
Facebook also played a role in the debate as organizations discussed the debate and "events" and "groups" cropped up to campaign against the bill.
The visual impact of a video is also greater than a page of words. One cannot miss the message in Mercy For Animal's video about the Ag-Gag bill, and it's hard to think a compassionate person could watch that video and vote for the bill.
Because videos are so useful within the constantly changing world of social media, I would certainly spend a good deal of time creating videos if I were running a social media campaign.
The horrible thing about the Ag-Gag campaign is that it failed. All these fancy social media devices did not succeed in convincing enough people to vote against the bill. Getting the message out in non-internet venues is important, and I do not think that happened to the extent it needed to crush the bill. Billboards, bus banners, and television ads capture eyes. Any type of campaign needs to use social media in addition to more traditional media outlets, at least for now.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Commercial Script: Support The Buddy Fund
Click here to view the video script for a commercial supporting The Buddy Fund.
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